Medical and Health term papers

What is the field of Medical and Health?

The medical and health field covers a vast array of areas dealing with the health and medical care industry and education. The medical and health industry is perhaps one of the fastest growing industries in the United States and the world due to its continued need. The medical and health field includes all things associate with human and animal health, medicine, dentistry, podiatry, optometry, chiropractic medicine, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.

Medical and Health Education and Careers

The medical and healthcare field requires specially trained individuals for each individual field of medical and healthcare. Medical schools supply the educational training for these trained individual so that by the time they have completed their lengthy education they are prepared for medical practice. For careers in medicine, such as allergology, public health, anesthesiology, research, cardiology, surgery, dermatology, radiology, emergency medicine, psychiatry, family and general practice, pediatrics, gastroenterology, pathology, internal medicine, orthopedics, and obstetrics and gynecology, an undergraduate degree and a Doctorate of Medicine (M.D.). An M.D. requires the student to complete for years of medical school, an internship and medical residency. Additionally, individuals interested in these fields will have to pass the MCAT prior to be accepted into medical school.

For individuals interested in the medical field of dentistry, an undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). A DDS and a DMD requires four years of dental schooling. In order to be accepted in dental school, an individual must pass a DAT test.

Chiropractic medicine and podiatry both require an individual, after receiving an undergraduate degree, to take either the MCAT or the GRE prior to admission to medical or chiropractic school. In order to practice podiatry professionally, an individual must obtain a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), while an individual wishing to practice Chiropractic medicine is required to have a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC).

For an individual who is seeking a career in optometry, he/she must first obtain an undergraduate degree, pass the OAT, and obtain admission to optometry school. After completing a four year program and obtaining a Doctor of Optometry (OD), the individual may pursue a career as an optometrist.

For students seeking a career as a pharmacist, undergraduate coursework in addition to the acquisition of a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) is necessary prior to actively seeking a pharmaceutical job. In order to attend school for pharmaceutical medicine, the student must pass the PCAT admissions test.

Finally, for careers in veterinary medicine, an undergraduate degree and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) must be obtained at a college of veterinary medicine prior to job placement. Additional schooling is generally required for those interested in specialty veterinary fields. In order to obtain admission to a college of veterinary medicine, a student must take and pass the GRE, VCAT, or MCAT.